


Hide & Sneak

by Android18



Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Conspiracy, F/M, Falling In Love, Games, M/M, Sneaking Around, Undercover
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-13
Updated: 2019-06-16
Packaged: 2020-05-07 09:35:42
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,884
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19206709
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Android18/pseuds/Android18
Summary: Modern College AUWhen Tenten is sent on a "mission", she soon runs into trouble when invited to a college party and starts to fall for the bad boy. Little does she know, her little bad boy is none other than Shino.





	1. I hate mornings

 

Ugh.

That is how Tenten was feeling at the moment if ugh could be a feeling. This was not at all what she had expected when Ino and Sakura dragged her to the boys dorm rather suddenly that morning.

~Earlier~

Knock.

Knock, knock.

Knock, knock, knock, knock, knock, knock, CRASH!

That was the sound of the pillow hitting and knocking over the lamp as it missed the door _._ Tenten slowly glanced at the clock on her desk.

  **7:02**

 _Why? Can someone explain to me why the hell anyone is up this early?_ _It can’t be normal_ , she thought as she forced her tired body toward the door.

She stood there for a while, head down, eyes closed, like a zombie hoping that whoever it was would get the hint and leave.

Knock, knock.

 _Shit, guess that’s not gonna happen_.

She let out a sigh.

 _This is gonna be a long day, I can feel it already_.

Tenten cracked open the door to bright pink. Yes, although her eyes where half open she had no trouble making out that outrageous bright pink hair. It was that same messy styled bright pink hair that belonged to none other than Sakura Haruno. There she stood, in front of Tenten in her light blue scrubs saying nothing, staring at her with that face. And that smile.

It was a sure sign of trouble.  

Tenten was moments from unleashing her rant about waking up early in the morning, especially when she had no classes, when a flash of blonde pushed Sakura aside and ushered her back into the dark unlit room.

“Oh my god Tenten, hurry up and get dressed! I’ll explain once we get to the guys dorm,” she gushed as she tossed whatever clothes she found lying about the room at her face.

 _Great…nothing better than a sock to the face,_ she thought as she peeled the sock off her face.

Even in the dark, Tenten could still make out her silhouette as she stealthily maneuvered around all the obstacles on the floor, heading straight for the window. Shields, swords, mini tables, all props she had left out the previous night from her last class were sprinkled on the floor. Tenten sluggishly made her way back to the comfort of her own bed. Surprisingly, she found herself entranced by Ino’s ponytail as it swayed back and forth. She moved across the room, skipping over the props without stepping on them or falling. Once at the window, in one swift motion, she pulled the curtains aside. The jingling of her bracelets echoing in the room.

 “Oh god please no. I’m not prepared for this _,”_ Tenten hissed as the light from the window hit her face, successfully blinding her.

“Oh lighten up!” giggled Sakura.

_Oh god that pun was as bad as her obsession with Sasuke Uchiha. And her obsession is borderline crazy._

“Ha Ha so hilarious”, Tenten scoffed at her as she reluctantly made her way to her closet, sliding the door and grabbing the first thing she saw. Pulling a comfy white hoodie over her boxer shorts and tee, she tried to figure out what the hell was happening.

_Okay, first of all it’s the two of **them** here **together**. Second. They are too excited. And third, it’s a secret. So this is either gonna get me into a lot trouble, or a lot of fun.  I am hoping it’s the latter._

Tenten tried to buy herself some time to think of a way to escape the clutches of the two.  She drudged over to her laptop and plopped herself down on her little black office chair. Pulling her legs up to her chest and began to click opened some emails when it started—Ino’s incessant foot tapping.

 It was only a matter of time before she snapped.

Glancing over at her, Tenten saw her checking the little purple watch she’d given her as a prize for winning a bet a few weeks ago.  She still had time….or so she thought.

 “Let’s go, we’re late,” urged Ino as she pulled on Tenten’s arm, dragging her out of her chair and all the way across the street to the huge white and recently renovated boy’s dorm.

 She had to admit the place looked so much nicer than it had before. The windows weren’t broken, the lawn was mowed and actually looked like grass—all of which was green and covered in morning dew. There was fresh coat of paint, and the entrance sign actually had all of its letters.

“No, please, don’t take me, come on people I am being taken against my will here,” Tenten yelled sarcastically as she reached for the boys tossing a Frisbee in front of the building.

~

There she was, unwillingly taking a seat on the leather sofa while four pairs of eyes followed her every move.

 _Man how I miss my bed,_ she mentally groaned to herself.

“Oh, come on Tenten”, pleaded Sakura, “This will work. Shikamaru has it all planned out.”

Well, if he planned it, she might not have much to worry about.

Shikamaru Nara—a genius in lazy disguise. She wasn’t just saying that because they were friends, but because he had the highest IQ out of every student attending Konoha University. So what if he’s not the top of the class? He could be if he put in a little effort, but he was too lazy for that. To his friends, they expected as much, but to others, he was a source of wasted potential.

_If they managed to get Shikamaru into this, it must be a pretty big deal. Now, I’m curious._

“Okay, spill it. How exactly am I involved in this “plan” you speak of?  And for god’s sake, why so _early_?”

Naruto set down his bowl of ramen and was the first to break the silence. “Your mission is—

“Pfft! My mission? Naruto, this isn’t some Mission Impossible. It’s not like I’m going undercover anywhere. Haha, can you imagine? Dun dun du-dun. Names Bond, Tenten Bond.” she laughed as she struck a pose, but she wasn’t expecting the serious reactions she got.

Eyes shifted toward each other and around the room, but none of them directed at her.

 “No way… you’re joking. What?”

This time, Sakura spoke first. “It’s really not as bad as you think it is, all you have to do is sneak into Sunagakure Uni an—"

“SNEAK INTO SUNA-U?! ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR FREAKING MIND?” her voice piercing the silence.

The girls held her, attempting to calm her down and lower her voice.

“Do you guys even know the things they do to Kono-U students if they ever get their hands on you?” she whispered loudly and warned, “Well, I’m not so sure, but I’ve heard things! Real bad things you guys…”

A warm hand touched her shoulder, “Calm down. Shika’s plan is foolproof. There’s no way you’re gonna get caught,” assured Naruto with that wide grin of his.

_Even for a goofball, it’s nice to have Uzumaki here, even if he is lying through his teeth._

“And that’s where we come in”, the two girls boasted, sitting on either side of Tenten on the couch. “We are so gonna make you over. No one will ever know it’s you!” revealed Sakura.

 “You mean she’ll actually look like a girl?” teased Naruto.

_There is nothing wrong with wearing jeans and a t-shirt._

Giving him a well-deserved slap on the head, Tenten turned her focus to Shikamaru. But before she could begin her question, Ino jumped in.

 “You won’t be doing this for free you know. There is a prize,” she motioned to her watch.

_Oh, a prize. Interesting. Like I said, it’s either fun or trouble and right now it could go either way._

Ino continued as if she had spoken, “If you agree, you get a guaranteed date with Neji Hyuga.

_No freaking way!_

“You mean _the_ Neji Hyuga, as in the hottie in the Business building?! The one with the most gorgeous pale eyes _and chiseled body like a god_ _that you can lick the honey right off his abs_ , who all girls go gaga over?! _That_ Neji Hyuga?!”

  _I can’t believe this. This is too unreal._

 _“_ How in the hell did you manage that?”

Ino smirked as she stood up, Tenten could tell she was preparing to brag when Naruto interrupted instead,, “Well, I’m kinda dating his cousin.”

That shocked her even more.

 “You’re dating Hinata?!”

_Oh god, what has the world come to?_

 She took a deep breath letting her pulse slow down, successfully getting rid of the flush on her face.

“Okay.  If Neji’s the prize, I’m in. So what’s the plan, Shikamaru?”

Looking up, she found Shikamaru had already walked around to the coffee table and was reaching under, pulling out a single manila folder and placing it on the table in front of her.

He took the seat across from her, his hands busy messing with his hair, “Well—"

 


	2. This stupid plan

“Whoa, whoa, whoa! Wait a minute? I’ll be staying at Lee’s?” questioned Tenten as she picked up the paper with Lee’s picture on it.

“Well, yes. The fact that you both are childhood friends makes him the perfect candidate for this plan,” replied Shikamaru with a dismissive wave.

Tenten shifted more papers to the side, “But I haven’t talked to him since freshman year!”

“Oh, I talked to him. It’s all good,” winked Naruto as he stood up to get another bowl of ramen. “But I think he said something about sleeping, ah, I can’t really remember,” he mumbled as he loudly slurped more ramen into his mouth.

“I doubt you’ll be sleeping in the same bed,” pointed out Ino, “unless ya’ll are cool like that.”

“Yea, he’ll probably give you his bed. He is a gentleman after all,” chimed in Sakura.

“You’re right,” Tenten couldn’t help but chuckle in agreement, “What’s the worst that could happen?”

“He makes you sleep in the closet,” joked Naruto as he leaned on the edge of the sofa, bowl in hand as if it was an extension of his arm.

“Ha,” she mean mugged him, “Funny. Anyway, by the looks of it, I don’t necessarily have to be the one that goes,” she countered, pushing all the papers away from her to lean back on the couch with her arms crossed. She wasn’t getting roped into these shenanigans again.

Shikamaru sat up, resting his arms on his knees and looking straight at Tenten, “No, you are the _only_ option.”

She racked her mind for any counter argument, anything that would make sense how ridiculous this all was but all she could say was, “But Ino or Sakura could do it, plus they look better than me. I mean, Sakura, your boobs are huge! And Ino, not only is your ass fantastic, but you can flirt your way out of anything! And me, I’m so plain people sometimes mistake me for a hobo. A fucking hobo!”

Sakura stepped forward, placing a gentle hand on her thigh, “Tenten, I would go if only I didn’t have my nursing exams. Plus, Lee is like totally in love with me! He’d blow my cover; no matter how deep in disguise I was, he’d be able to spot me.”

_Haha, true. She could be dressed as a granny or even a janitor and he’d find her. I can hear him already…_

“SAKURA-CHAN!!!” Naruto mimicked her thoughts aloud as he extended his arms toward her puckering his lips. 

Tenten shoved a hand in his face, a chuckle escaping her, “Ok, Sakura’s a no, but what about Ino?”

“Well, my fantastic ass and I are known quite well over at Suna- U. I’ve dated most of the guys over there,” Ino couldn’t help but brag, flicking her long ponytail aside, “Hey, I’m doing you girls a favor. Checking out the merchandise, you know.”

“And that’s why she absolutely will not do,” groaned Shikamaru as he rolled his eyes.

“Fine,” moaned Tenten, “I get it. I’m your best option.”

Tenten continued, scanning over the papers once again. She’d hate to admit it but the plan did indeed look pretty solid.

She sifted through the photo profiles of some of the main contenders to focus on, names, schedules, even their routines down to the last minute.

She pondered over the plan, _I basically just have to go and blend in. The time limit of a week scares me a bit, but I think it’s doable. No one really knows me over there. By wearing the school shirt or just even walking around the Uni, I can easily mingle and make my way into the student council room as a regular student._

The plan itself was pretty simple.

_I’d be staying at Lee’s dorm over there so I won’t have to be driving there and back, but I don’t mind. Hope his roomie is cool with me staying though._

There was more than one option, more than one backup for every possible scenario.

_I could even use my womanly charms to seduce the enemy if I needed to._

Tenten smirked to herself.

_At least, I’d get results faster that way wouldn’t I?_

Even if things went wrong, she still had an out. It was truly fool proof.

_By then all I have to do is find the list of registered participants, which sounds simple enough. But man, they are so childish. Really? They couldn’t wait til the race? Do they really need a leg up for this competition?_

The Race—It’s a stupid competition they have every year against the two rival schools, Sunagakure University and Konoha University. They’d been competing over everything for years; their rivalry was well known—and stupid if anyone asked her. But The Race itself took it to a whole nother level, it’s essentially this huge scavenger hunt across campus, like they haven’t seen enough guys parkouring already.

“Well, basically you just have to find out who partners with who,” Shikamaru explained, “You go in and come out. Simple enough.”

_Yeah, simple enough. As if._

She sat there, debating her options as she rested her hand under her chin. It had been thought out rather thoroughly and she couldn’t seem to find any holes in it no matter how much she stared at the papers spread out in front of her.

“This is stupid” were the first words out of her mouth after a while.

She couldn’t help but complain, “I don’t understand, why can’t you just wait til the contest? Is it really necessary to know the other schools teams?”

She instantly knew she shouldn’t have questioned it when all heads snapped at her direction.

Naruto nudged Sakura to move and took a seat closer to Tenten, putting his arm around her. “There’s a rumor that _he’s_ back,” he whispered, his voice sounding louder in the silence that had taken the room.

 _Who’s back?_ She was almost afraid to ask before he answered for her.

“Freshman year, this dude came out of nowhere and teamed up with some loser at Suna- U. No one thought they would win, but man were we _wrong_.”

“He dominated,” corrected Shikamaru as he shooed Ino aside and took her place next to Tenten then continued, “And I’m not just saying that. He took out all _our_ teams, all _his_ teams too.”

“We didn’t even understand what had happened til it was over. Dude was fast. The only person who had a chance of beating him was Shikamaru, but at the time he had teamed up with Choji. Yeah, it wasn’t the brightest idea…but we never even thought that they would’ve had a monster like that on their side,” concluded Naruto.

Tenten hadn’t realized this had even happened. She spent most of her freshman year taking as many classes as she could to be a top class actress or stuntwoman—she hadn’t quite decided. That whole year, she was simply focused on pursing her career, nothing else.

By the end, she was hooked, curiosity nagging relentlessly, “Then what happened?”

Shikamaru leaned back on the couch, stretching his arms behind his head.

“And then, he just disappeared” he answered nonchalantly.

“Yea, no one knows where he went after freshman year. No one’s heard anything about him since…it’s been two years….” added Naruto as he relaxed deeper into the comfy leather couch.

“Ok, I somewhat get it,” she shrugged, “but if Shikamaru teams up with someone else this year, then he won’t be a problem anymore, right?” Tenten wondered as she sat up.

“ _Wrong_. If Gaara Sabaku teams up with _that_ guy, then even if I team up with Neji, Shino, or even Sasuke, there’s no way we’ll win,” he confirmed.

Shikamaru could sense Naruto fidgeting.

“And no, Naruto, I’m not teaming up with Sasuke. I was just making my point,” he assured him, “But anyway, it’s his brother we have to worry about.”

_Ah, yes. I’ve heard of the legendary Itachi Uchiha before. On the hotness scale, he’s right up there with Neji. I can see why they’re worried; he’s just as freaky smart as Shika. Though, I’m surprised Sasuke decided to study here at Kono-U instead of following his brother to Suna-U, but whatever._

“Fine, I get it. I’m in, so when do we start?” Tenten dismissed, waving her arms.

She looked up to find the girls with a hungry look in their eyes.

“This is going to be soooo much fun!” the two girls squealed as they both grabbed an arm and dragged her to the next room.

“Don’t make a mess or my roomie will have a fit,” warned Shikamaru.

_Roomie?_

~

A few hours later, the girls emerged from the room, giggling and overly excited over their successful transformation. They stepped aside and announced Tenten into the room.

“Presenting, the _new_ Tenten!” they squealed with a wiggle of fingers, showing off their handiwork.

Tenten carefully stepped out of Shikamaru’s room. Her hair no longer up in the two tight buns she always wore, but rather cascading down her shoulders in beautiful deep ocean waves. Her skin radiating a flawless finish with a peachy glow and her eyes—defined and enhanced by the smooth stroke of eyeliner, only to be augmented by her thick lashes. Not to mention, her glistening lips left something to be desired. The look was completed with the sand colored cropped Suna-U tee and tight torn black skinny jeans that showed off her curvy figure.

“Holy shit,” muttered Shikamaru as he quickly rid his face of surprise.

 “Damn, Tenten you look like a girl, _holy shit_ _!_ ” catcalled Naruto as he slapped his knee.

Tenten blushed. She never once thought she’d be getting a reaction like this. She was feeling thoroughly embarrassed, her fingers reaching and messing with her hair, typical girl behavior.

“Ok, well, since I’ll be staying at Lee’s dorm for this week, you guys are going to have to help me out with my classes. Just take my notes and tell me the test days,” reminded Tenten, doing her best to get rid of the flush that was surely prominent on her face.

_I can’t believe Lee even agreed to this too. I mean, I know he’s a childhood friend, but his spirit of youth has got to have some kind of limit. But I guess if it’ll make it more fun for him, a challenge as he puts it, then who am I to stop him._

“I think Shika’s got that part covered,” assured Naruto as he nudged Shikamaru.

“What a drag,” shrugged Shika in agreement.

“Well, I guess I’m off now, wish me luck,” announced Tenten very awkwardly as made her way out the boy’s dorm.

The room suddenly fell silent.

Sakura broke the silence, “I’m kinda worried sending her alone you guys. I mean, I’d feel better if one of us went with her just in case.” She looked around the room and though everyone was in agreement, no one volunteered.

“I’ll go.”

Four heads snapped their attention to the curt voice that spoke from the corner.

“It’s logical. Why, you ask? I am the most capable to assess the situation should a problem arise.”

“When did you get here?” the girls asked wide-eyed and taken aback.

“Holy shit dude, at least tell us when you’re here!” shouted Naruto as he clutched his chest.

“I have been here the entire time, who else do you think made your ramen?” he answered briefly.

Shikamaru chuckled, shaking his head as he watched the man lower his bowl into the sink.

The whole time they had been discussing the plan, the man had cooked ramen, sat down and eaten, and was now finishing cleaning up without anyone having noticed.

“As I as was saying,” the man pushed his shades up, “I am the best candidate to assist Miss Tenten.”

Four pairs of eyes studied each other in quiet debate.

“Yea, guess that’ll work,” they turned to each other nodding in agreement.

The voice stepped out of the dark kitchen corner, the light from the lamp illuminating his face.

“Then I believe all is settled,” concluded the voice.

“Not quite,” smirked the girls as they giddily ushered the man into the next room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's taking some time to edit these short chapters. (つ﹏⊂) Thank you for patiently waiting. Enjoy! Let me know what you think!


	3. Into the Lion's Den

Rm 102.

Tenten arrived at the room that Naruto had hastily scribbled rather illegibly on the front of Lee’s file just minutes before she left for Suna-U.

Knock. Knock.

The door creaked as it opened, revealing a surprised out of breath man. “Well, hello there gorgeous,” a sly grin forming on his face.

_Ok? Not Lee…_

This man, who was slightly shorter than Lee, stood possessively in the doorway opening the door just enough to that the only view was his nicely pale toned body. One could almost see the beads of sweat trickling down the curves of his abs. Oh no, wait, Tenten could literally see the sweat dripping down his body, highlighting his every muscle—the man had answered the door half naked and the only thing stopping her from seeing his sweet assets were a pair of thin black basketball shorts.

 _Don’t panic, just might be his roomie_ , she attempted to reassure herself.

“Um, is this Lee’s room?” mumbled a very confused Tenten.

The blonde man slid his sweaty locks back in response, licking his lips, “Not even close, but I can tell you where his room is if you give me your name and number.”

“Deidara, who’s at the door?” interrupted another man who came up right behind him, just as naked and sweaty, trying to sneak a peek.

“Oh, it’s a chick? What she want?” he blurted as if she wasn’t standing right in front of them.

_Ugh, seriously?_

Putting a hand on her hip, she asked once again with a bit more bite to her words, “Are you gonna tell me or not?”

The one named Deidara looked her over before he ignored her to glance behind him, answering the other man instead, “Listen to this, Kankuro. She’s looking for bushy brows.”

“She’s looking for Lee? Let me see,” he growled as he tried to elbow his way pass the blonde.

“No way, I call dibs!” he elbowed back refusing to let him near Tenten.

“Forget it, I’ll find my way,” she scoffed as the two guys began to slap each other in the doorway.

Spinning quickly on her heel, she made her way down the corridor without hesitation, anything to get away from the two assholes.

“Hey, wait!” yelled the one named Kankuro.

_Oh god._

“Hey!” he continued to shout as he chased her down the hall.

Tenten quickened her pace, the posters that hung along the walls soon becoming nothing but a blur. She pulled her phone from her back pocket and angrily dialed a number.

“Narutoooo!”

“What?” he slurped over the phone.

“What do you mean what? You didn’t give me the right room number!” she angrily whispered, the words coming out in a rush as she turned down hallway after hallway.

By this time, Kankuro’s shouting had caused the other dorm residents to emerge from their rooms. It only took a moment as she tried to get her bearings for her to glance behind, the scene causing her eyes to widen.

“Holy shit,” she muttered, her breath suddenly caught in her throat.

_They’ve sent me into a Lion’s Den._

“Tenten? What’s wrong?” demanded Naruto, growing more concerned by each passing second.

A strange whimper escaped her lips before abruptly hanging up the phone, her eyes glued instead to the small crowed of sexy half naked men that had formed heading in her direction.

“Oh! There she is!” she heard someone say, “Dibs on the hottie!”

Eyes wondered around frantically, desperately searching for an exit. With no idea where she was or where she turned, she was utterly lost—her sense of direction no longer existent. The best option was to run, so she spun around and sprinted as far as she could. As soon as she turned the corner, a hand swiftly snatched her by the arm, pulling her into the small secluded space between two oversized vending machines.

“Wait,” gasped the voice, sucking in a small breath and covering her mouth as the men ran past them. Once the coast was clear, he dropped his hand, “I’ve been trying to tell you that I can take you to Lee’s room. My little brother is his roommate,” he managed to whisper, still heavily out of breath.

“Oh. You can?” she mumbled, her face heating up, a bit embarrassed that she had ran from him in the first place.

“Yea,” he breathed, “You know, you’re pretty crazy to come here during training for the Big Race, most girls avoid this building during this time.”

“Is that so?” she gulped, her mind beginning to head elsewhere.

_Guess the guys didn’t feel the need to mention this. Ooo, when I get my hands on them…_

Their bodies were pressed so closely against each other that Tenten could feel the heat of his breath tickling her neck. He shifted slightly to check if the coast was clear.

“My name’s Kankuro by the way. Usually, I have more clothes on,” he joked.

Tenten felt his laugh reverberate in her palms; glancing at her hands which rested comfortably on his powerfully toned chest.

  _Oh this is bad._

Tenten cleared her throat in attempt to calm her racing heart before things got out of hand.

 _This is bad. If I’m this close to him for much longer, I will pull an Ino and ravish this man,_ she thought as her hand glided further up his neck into his silky dark auburn hair.

“Tenten?” yelled a voice from the across the corridor, pulling her away.

“Lee?” she turned in surprise, recognizing the voice.

Tenten shoved her way out of the cramped space and ran toward the voice.

“Lee?”

Lee turned another corner, a mass of toned muscle rippling beneath his glowing skin. He still looked the same as she had remembered him—the same bowl cut hair swished as he turned his head. Onyx eyes darted around, his hands dangling, bandaged to his elbow from his consistent hard work.

“There you are,” she sighed to herself.

As the adrenaline left her body, she was engulfed with ease at the sight of her sweet childhood friend. She rushed toward him, pulling him into a deep embrace, taking in his familiar refreshing scent.

“I beg your pardon Miss, I believe you have mistaken me for someone else. I must go now, I must find my friend. Poor Tenten…” he responded with a massive blush on his face as he peeled Tenten off him.

“Lee, you goofball, it’s me, Tenten!” she interrupted, teary eyed as she nudged his shoulder.

She sniffed and giggled as she watched Lee’s face go from disbelief to recognition in a matter of seconds.

“Tenten, my friend! I had not recognized you! You look beautiful! It appears the spirit of youth has done you wonders!! Not that you were not beautiful before,” he sputtered.

Beyond flustered, her face turned many shades of red, something she had been doing a lot today. Though, it was not the same hearing her childhood friend compliment her.

“Come, let us return to my room,” he said enthusiastically.

“Okay,” she giggled, wiping her eyes and grabbing hold of his arm, letting him guide her toward his dorm.

~

Lee discreetly led Tenten out the chaotic building into the next one right across the walkway.

Tenten gazed at the building; it had the same appearance as the one she was just in. Both building were a few stories tall with sand colored bricks and white balconies, the only difference being the large paned windows at the entrance that looked into the lobby.

 _I got the wrong building. Good job Tenten,_ she thought as she mentally facepalmed herself.

“You must go ahead. My room is Room 102 and it should be unlocked Tenten. I apologize but I must pick up some assignments, so I will meet you there soon,” Lee revealed as he held the door open.

“Oh. No problem, so I guess I’ll see you there,” she waved him off then made her way up the stairs.

Tenten stuck her head through the entrance; she didn’t want to risk running into another mob of men with raging hormones. She found the room easily enough with it being on the first floor and the only door to be decorated with Lee’s poster of his mentor, Gai-Sensei. She quietly sauntered across the lobby to the room, she grasped the doorknob only to find the door had in fact not been unlocked.

_You have got to be kidding me._

She knocked, then knocked a little louder hoping maybe his roommate would be there to open the door _if_ he was even home.

_Of course, just my luck…_

Just as she was about to make herself comfortable on the floor and wait for Lee, the door swung wide open.

Pale mint green eyes stared at her, unnervingly. The young man tousled his hair even more as he glared down, not saying a word. But more so than his unreadable face, her mind became distracted by his handsomeness. Beautiful did not even begin to describe his ethereal paleness, even with his bright red hair all messed up and the pronounced dark circles under his eyes, she couldn’t stop gaping. Wearing nothing but some dark grey sweats and a white tee, he loitered, leaning on the doorway.

 _What am I supposed to say?_ She continued to gawk.

Eventually, she caught herself and managed to stand, wiping off whatever invisible dirt had clung to her jeans.

_Not awkward at all._

“Hi, um, Lee told—"

At the mention of Lee’s name, the man stood aside giving Tenten entrance to the room.

After having let Tenten awkwardly stumble into the room, he shut the door and drifted into one of the closed rooms. Her eyes followed him but as she stood there, in the middle of the Lee’s living room, she got the strange feeling that she had seen him before. Problem was, she couldn’t put a finger as to where.

“You can wait in there,” he pointed toward an overly decorated door, “—for Lee,” the man hummed in a low raspy voice.

_Ah, so he can speak._

“Oh, thank you,” she mumbled, immediately rushing over to the door.

Tenten shut herself in Lee’s room, which was not as plain as she imagined it to be. More posters, some of Gai-Sensei and some motivational, were plastered all over along the walls. But for a guy, his room was somehow organized and clean—dirty clothes were in fact in the hamper and the rest were neatly folded atop his drawer. The only thing that made his room seem lived in was his disheveled bed.

She happened to be sitting near the corner of the bed examining his workout equipment when it hit her—she knew where she recognized him from—pulling out the file Shikamaru had given her from her bag, she flipped through the small stack of papers, hastily skimming through the pictures. Her hand stopped once it reached the one with the image of the young man, the one she had just seen moments before.

Her face drained of color.

_You have got to be fucking kidding me._

“Gaara….”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn't know how much better i'd gotten til i had to edit this crappy fic. (ʘ‿ʘ✿) Good news, it will get better lol Thanks for stopping by! Hope you enjoyed it :)


	4. What a day

It felt as if time had frozen, a deadly stillness chilled the air. The rapid thumping of her heart becoming absolutely deafening. Holding her breath, Tenten held up the picture of Gaara, the soft light from the slightly open window hitting her shaky hand.

_Oh man…_

She clutched her phone tightly against her chest, her mind racing in all sorts of directions.

Was it too late to back out?

A faint tap on the door, caused her to jump. Followed by a mop of black hair sticking its head through the doorway, a voice asked, “Tenten, may I come in?”

Instantly, she hid the photo, shoving the files that she so foolishly left out beneath her.

“Ha. Leeeee. Yeah, you can come in. I mean, it’s your room.”

“Oh, that is right. But still, you are my guest and it would be rude of me to barge in.”

She giggled at Lee’s gentlemanly thinking, “Right.”

_He really hasn’t changed._

Making his way into the room, he headed straight to his desk and set down his so-called assignments.

Meanwhile distracted, Tenten took the opportunity to stuff the files into her bag.

Her mind still processing, _If Lee found out too much, the chances of him spilling the beans would become too risky…which makes sense why Naruto is keeping him on a need to know basis. Gotta be more careful._

“So…You have a roommate? Gaara was it?”

“Ah yes. I had forgotten to mention him, pardon me. But… he is a nice guy you know, nothing to worry about.”

“Is he now?”

“Tenten, I hope you do not believe the cruel rumors. As Gai-sensei always says, ‘Do not judge the cover by the book.’ He is simply…misunderstood.”

 _Really hasn’t changed at all. Cover by the book…_ she smiled.

“Haha. Okay, if you say so Lee.”

Tenten slipped off her shoes, crossing her legs as she made herself at home on his bed before she asked, “So, where am I going to sleep?”

“You will be sleeping—" Lee skipped over to the closet and held the door wide open revealing a stack of blankets and pillows.

“You have got to be kidding me?! I’m really sleeping in the closet?!”

“Well, it is quite roomy, and it will be easier to hide you from the dorm advisor if you were out of sight. I know it is not ideal, but it will have to do.”

“Are you serious?”

Lee could not keep quiet. “Bwahahaha, Naruto was right. It was funny. Do not worry friend, it was simply what you call a joke. But you should have seen your face.”

Tenten reached behind her, throwing a pillow at his face. “Seriously Lee? Ugh, I can’t believe you got me. Haha, I almost seriously believed you, I mean you had the pile right there!”

“Ahahaha. Those are merely the extra blankets and pillows in case you get cold or something. So you’ll be staying here and sleep in my bed.”

“Jesus, Lee!” she clutched her chest for a moment, shaking her head and smirking. “So, where are you going to sleep?”

“Oh, um, Gaara has been kind enough to share his room with me while you stay,” he managed to answer, though his face was completely flushed.

At his reaction, Tenten decided it best to leave it alone—for now.

_Oh yes Lee, I will find out whatever you’re hiding._

“Did he ask about why I was here?”

“Not really. He does not talk much, but he is such a great listener. I tell him about Gai-sensei and I believe he is starting to admire him just as much as I do!”

_I doubt that._

“But, you didn’t tell him anything, did you?” The mere thought of it bringing forth a sudden panic.

_Don’t tell me my cover is blown already._

“Tenten, I promised to help. I will most definitely not blow your cover.”

“Right, sorry…So what now?”

“Perhaps I shall introduce you to my friends.”

“Hmmm.”

_If I hang around Lee for now, I could make faster progress than if I do it alone._

“Okay, sounds like a plan.”

“Stupendous! You will be just in time to partake in our youthful game of tag!”

“Haha, seriously? Aren’t ya’ll a bit too old for that? Tag?”

“But, of course! It is the fastest way to prepare for the Big Race!”

“Soooo, what I’m hearing is that some of the competitors will be there?”

“It is almost certain! But I do not care because this year I will be the victor!”

“Lee! You’re gonna enter the contest?!

“Yes!”

“Who’s your partner?”

“I do not have one!” he replied with all the confidence in the world as if it were a good thing.

“You do know it’s mandatory to have a partner in order to participate, right?”

“It is no problem! I will find a partner in no time,” he struck his usual thumbs up pose, not a doubt in his mind.

“I’m sure you will,” she giggled as she continued to watch Lee.

_I wonder if Naruto and them know about Lee entering the race too…_

“So what time does this thing start?”

Lee quickly checks the time, “In about five minutes.”

“What?! I haven’t even brought in my duffle bag! I don’t have any clothes!”

Lee quietly stared at Tenten as she rolled around tangling herself on his bed sheets in panic until she suddenly sat up and, in all seriousness, asked, “Lee. Give me your shorts.” She crawled toward the edge of the bed, staggering off heading straight for Lee, his face twisting in shocking realization.

“Tenten, wait. I shall let you borrow my shorts, just not these. I am wearing these in case you did not notice.”

He held a tight grip on his shorts while she miserably tried to slide a finger in his waistband.

“Leeeee,” she sang provocatively.

“Tenten, please. I will lend you my shorts!”

His face blazing, Tenten relinquished her little stunt, “I’m kidding, gotcha! But really, let me borrow some shorts.”

Releasing a sigh, he casually went to his drawer and began sifting through the stack of neatly folded clothes. Finally settling on a pair of dark green basketball shorts, his body jumped in surprise as a blurry hand snatched it from his grasp.

“Thanks!” Tenten stripped without delay, hunching over in mid removal of her pants leaving her in a black tank top and panties.

“Tenten!?! Please do not undress in front of me!” Covering his eyes, Lee blindly backed away in the direction of the door, but not before bumping into the bed and the door.

“Oh come on, as if you haven’t seen me half naked before.”

“True but I believe that was when we were four! At least let me leave the room.”

“No need, I’m done.” After tightening the string on the shorts, she quickly pulled her hair in a ponytail. “Good thing I changed my shoes before I left the car,” she giggled, slipping on her shoes. “Okay, now I’m ready Lee. Let’s do this.”

There was a sudden fire in Lee’s eyes as he caught a glimpse of his usual competitive Tenten.

“Alright, let’s go!”

~

Lee guided Tenten to the back of the building she so mistakenly entered earlier that day. From where she stood, she had the view of the wide open clearing with the exception of quite a few trees and bushes spread out and outlining the sidewalk around the dorm.

“Wait here, Tenten.”

He left Tenten beneath the coolness of a tree, then sprinted toward one of the balconies only to leap over it, disappearing into a room. Not much time passed before Lee returned, behind him two guys she most definitely recognized. Of course with her luck, the guys happen to be the same guys she ran into when she first looked for Lee.

_What were their names? Ah yes, Kankuro and Deidara. Greeeeat…_

However, she didn’t recognize the two people trailing even further behind them.

The smaller of the two was hauntingly beautiful, bright crimson hair, gazing nowhere as they awkwardly closed the distance. His translucent skin reminded her of Gaara, yet his piercing red eyes gave him a fragile doll-like appearance. The other, a light-skinned blonde woman with four spiky pigtails, seemed a bit too serious.

Tenten scanned around her, feeling a bit out of place, yet curious if there were others joining in. Suddenly, jolted away from her thoughts, Lee began to pull her toward the small group.

“Come Tenten!” Lee nudged her in front of him, “My friends, let me introduce you to my dearest friend, Tenten!”

 _Oh man, did he just blow my cover? Wait, no one knows me so my real name shouldn’t be a problem, actually it’ll be less confusing. Ok, breath,_ she tried to calm herself.

Having no choice, Tenten greeted them as Lee eagerly continued to shoved her in front of each one as he introduced them.

Proudly pointing them out, he began, “This guy is Deidara,” then he whispered, “He is a bit obsessed with clay art.”

“This guy is Kankuro and this is his sister, Temari. Oh, and this guy, his name is Sasori,” he went on, “Hmmm, the rest have not arrived yet but it is no problem, we can start without them.”

“So who’s it?” Tenten asked pretty bluntly as the group began to disperse. Eyes turned in disbelief, others in annoyance.

“Dude, did you even tell her the rules?” Kankuro complained as he punched Lee in the shoulder.

“Oh, sorry Tenten. I completely forgot,” Lee apologized.

 “Lee’s always it,” explained Temari, the irritation visible on her face.

“Always?” Tenten raised a brow skeptically.

“You see, Lee’s freaking fast. No one’s ever caught him, makes the game a bit boring you know, so he catches us instead. The only time Lee isn’t it, is when Gaara decides to play but that’s rare enough as it is,” clarified Kankuro.

Deidara jumped in, clearly annoyed at the little detour, “Can someone tell her the rules? I’m ready to play.”

“Right. Long story short, don’t get caught by Lee,” Kankuro answered as he tapped her back and sprinted off.

Soon, the rest also ran off, leaving behind Tenten and a pumped up Lee.

“Do not worry Tenten, even though the game has started, everyone gets a head start. Go!”

It took a second before it clicked in Tenten’s head. The game had already begun. She stumbled over her own feet before gaining her footing and going off in into a full blown sprint away from Lee. It wasn’t long til the sound of heavy footsteps reached her ears. She peeked behind, long enough to find Kankuro heading straight for her with Lee hot on his heel.

“Shit, run Tenten!” he managed to yell as he rushed past her.

_Seriously? Already?_

Catching a glimpse, she felt the weight of the world come down all at once. A few feet behind and gaining speed was Lee, red faced with his bowl haircut losing its shape in the wind.

_They weren’t kidding…Just how fast is he?_

Outrunning him wasn’t an option, but she could possibly outmaneuver him. All her extra classes and training weren’t for nothing. This provided the perfect opportunity to test her skills. Inhaling a deep breath, she abruptly changed direction heading straight at Lee. There was a moment of shock on Lee’s face that was quickly dismissed. It was now or never.

The split second before impact, she slid right underneath him, not wasting a moment to kick him down before giving him the chance to turn.

The kick pushed Lee face first into the grass. Time slowed for Lee in that moment, incredulous that his childhood friend finally managed to beat him for the first time in a long time. He had underestimated her, that, he could admit. He should have known better. By the time he got himself together, she had already managed to escape and was nowhere in sight.

The moment he fell, she fled. There was no way she was sticking around and get caught.

 _This game is turning out pretty fun,_ she huffed, only hearing the sound of her own breathing.

Bolting to the nearest tree, she swiftly climbed, pulling on whichever branch her hand could get ahold of. She leaned against the trunk with her shirt practically drenched in sweat, trying to catch her breath, and at the same time, attempting to make her presence unknown.

The view from her spot caught quite the sight, it was giving her a such hard time suppressing her giggles.

On one hand there was the serious Temari fighting off Lee with a tree branch. Then on the other, there was Kankuro going as far as throwing his shoes at Lee to keep from being caught. Though, Deidara and Sasori were nowhere to be seen—that was, until Deidara emerged from the bushes clinging to Sasori in attempt to get out of Lee’s reach.

_Poor Lee. Time to join the fun!_

Getting up the tree had been an easy feat, getting back down was a totally different matter. Slowly descending, she set her foot down carefully on the branches, her grip on the trunk deadly. Not expecting the flexibility of the branch, she lost her footing as her step bent a weak branch. Already having lost her grip, she was falling, even with her quick reflexes, without something to grab onto, her fall was inevitable.

OMPF!

She had fallen on her back onto something that had softened the blow. She sat up only to find herself in a compromising position.

“Damn…”

The voice had come from underneath her. Unable to move, she watched as the man beneath her propped himself up on his elbows. Her face burned as her thoughts connected, realizing she was straddling this handsome stranger. But she couldn’t tear herself away, butterflies fluttered around in her stomach, a feeling that excited her. She continued to gaze, taking in his soft chocolate tresses and his smooth pale skin.

“You gonna get off?” he grumbled, his voice low and husky, as he scowled at her.

_There are too many pretty boys._

“Ah, yes, of course. Sorry, kinda fell out the tree,” she fake laughed and stammered as she moved off him.

“Great, you ruined my nap,” he continued to complain, standing and removing random leaves off his body.

“Sorry...”

“Whatever.”

It was his snide remark that got under her skin.

_Rude much?_

She scoffed, “I _said_ I was _sorry_.”

He leaned closer, face to face, stretching out the words as he replied, “And I said _what-ever_. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a life to get back to.”

_Oh. No. He. Didn’t._

“Excuuuuse me? What is that supposed to mean?”

Ignoring her, he continued on his way.

_Seriously?!_

She stalked behind him, trying to keep up with his long strides, “Hey! I’m talking to y—"

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been such a relaxing lazy weekend, I'm in love ♡＾▽＾♡  
> Thank you for taking the time to read this, I hope this rare pairing grows on you as it did me. 
> 
> Hope you enjoyed reading :)

**Author's Note:**

> (/ω＼) This is actually the first fic I ever wrote- like ever. Enjoy the shitty cover i made years ago ~like years~ until i can revamp it lol The whole fic is being transferred here, so hello again to those that had been waiting forever for the continuation. I will do my best to finish this. (๑˃̵ᴗ˂̵)و To those that are just joining us, welcome and enjoy. And a very special thank you to my good friend, Sarah, who encouraged me to start writing and also beta read the first few chapters. Couldn't have done it without you! <3


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